Stocking



Nov. 30, 1954 J. F. TEW 2,695,507

sTocxrNG Filed April 22, 1952 l INVENTOR 4 c/byepl'w Y 7q//Man7 ATTORNEXS United States Patent Oil lice 2,695,507 Patented Nov. 30, 1954 STOCKING Joseph Frank Tew, Newland, N. C., assignor to Glen Raven Knitting Mills, Inc., Glen Raven, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application April 22, 1952, Serial No. 283,650

1 Claim. (Cl. 66-182) This invention relates to stockings, and more particularly to stockings of the so-called seamless type, and to the method by which they are formed.

The conventional stocking for ladies wear havea turned welt at the top which is usually knit of heavier gauge yarn than the leg portion. The heel, sole and toe are reinforced with an extra yarn which may also be of a heavier gauge than that of the leg portion. If the stocking is to be of the full-fashioned type, it is knit upon full-fashioned, or flat, machine with either heel tabs knit on or a turned heel formed as the knitting progresses. The at material is joined along its edges by a seam which in the nished article extends the full length of the middle of the back of the stocking. Due to the shape -given the fabric by appropriately widening and narrowing it as it is knit, the finished stocking has a shape closely approximating that of the human leg. Stockings are also made on circular knitting machines which produce hose of the seamless type. The stockings are reinforced at welt, heel, sole and toe as are full-fashioned ones. 'I he article is given some shape by controlling the tension with which the yarn is knit, and the heel is formed by stopping the rotative movement of the machine and causing it to oscillate to create extra fullness to form a pocket. In either type of stocking the heel reinforcement is visible above the top of the wearers shoe and much eiort has been expended to make the reinforcement in a pleasing designso that it will flatter the leg when worn.

The object of the present invention is to provide a stocking which is without heel or sole reinforcement so that when worn it will enhance the appearance of the foot and leg and, at the same time, the leg will have a bareleg appearance.

A further object is to provide such a stocking which may be made without the usual provision for a heel pocket, but which, when ready for use, will have a shape similar to that of the foot portion of stockings now known.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method by which a stocking may be knit in tubular form, then shaped, and then set in the desired shape so that it will retain the shape throughout its life.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the article and method when taken in conjunction with the drawings which accompany, and form a part of, this specification.

yIn the drawings:

Figure l is a view of a stocking made in accordance with the present invention shown in the shape it will assume when upon a leg;

`Figure 2 is a view of the tubular knit blank from which the stocking is formed, the toe having been seamed;

Figure 3 is a side view board; and,

IFigure 4 is a side view of the completed stocking.

The stocking of the present invention is to be knit on what is known as a circular knitting machine. This will result in a so-called tubular stocking.

of the blank upon -a form or of the foot and ankle portion Referring to Figure 2 of the drawing, it will be seen that the stocking is knit as a tube which tapers from top Ato bottom. The stocking will have the usual welt 1 and leg and foot portions 2 and 3, which as the stocking is knit will follow in uninterrupted continuation of one another. The toe 4 may be reinforced and closed in the usual manner. From welt to toe the leg and foot portions are knit from a single yarn of uniform gauge.

Some shape may be given to the stocking by controlling the tension of the yarn so as to regulate the length of the loops in `desired courses, but this is not essential to the invention. Similarly, the fabric in the region in which the heel will be may be given extra fullness by lengthening the loop, but this is not essen-tial.

After the knitting is completed and the toe closed, the stocking is subjected to a pre-boarding. This consists in placing the stock-ing upon a boarding form which is a smooth form having the desired shape of the finished stocking. The stocking of Figure 2 is shown upon such a board 5 in Figure 3. The fabric is then subjected to steam treatment over a period of time, or to any of the other well-known yarn-setting treatments.

As is well-known in the art, the subjection of the yarn to heat while in a wet or damp condition results in setting the shape of the loops in a substantially permanent manner. After the loops are so set, the fabric may be pulled or distorted but the loops will return to their set shape as soon as the strain is relieved. This is particularly true of fabrics knit from nylon yarns. Subsequent washing of the fabric will not release the yarn from its set shape.

By using a board which has a heel and foot form, the tubular stocking, wet set, will have a heel pocket 6, as shown in Figure 4, and a foot which will closely conform to the shape of the wearers foot.

After the pre-boarding the stocking will be subjected to the usual scouring, dyeing, finishing, and finally reboarded. Y

The method disclosed herein will result in a more rapid production of stockings, due primarily to the fact that the rotative motion of the knitting machine need not be stopped to form a heel pocket. The resulting stocking will-be without the usual leg seam or heel reinforcement so that when worn it will be substantially invisible. In other words, there will be no darkened areas due to reinforcing yarns, heel seams, lines of juncture between circular and oscillatory knitting, etc. to call attention to the fact that stockings are being worn. The wearer will have a bareleg appearance, and at the same time the appearance of the leg will be flattered.

`l/"hile in the above preferred means for carrying out the `method and construction of the stocking have been disclosed, it is to be understood that this is merely by way of example, and changes may be made within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

l A stocking having welt, leg, heel, foot and toe portions, said leg, heel and foot portions comprising a tubular knit fabric all of the courses of which are spirally connected in continuation of one another and formed of a single yarn of uniform gauge, and said welt and toe portions being reinforced.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name j Date 1,384,828 Conley July 19, 1921 2,163,557 Holmes June 20, 1939 2,195,183 McAdams Mar. 26, 1940 2,408,440 Norman Oct. 1, 1946 

